Single mother Kyra Kokinos spends her days waiting tables, her nights working on her real estate license, and every spare moment with her precocious six-year-old daughter, Ruby—especially when Ruby won’t stop pestering their grumpy next-door neighbor. At first glance, Dax Bishop seems like the kind of gruff, solitary guy who’d be unlikely to offer a cup of sugar, let alone a marriage proposal. But that’s exactly what happens when Ruby needs life-saving surgery.

Dax showed up in East Beach a year ago, fresh from a painful divorce and looking for a place where he could make furniture and avoid people. Suddenly his life is invaded by an inquisitive munchkin in sparkly cowboy boots—and her frazzled, too-tempting mother. So he presents a practical plan: his insurance will help Ruby, and then they can divorce—zero strings attached.

But soon Kyra and Dax find their engagement of convenience is simple in name only. As their attraction deepens, a figure from the past reappears, offering a way out. Can Kyra and Dax let go so easily—or has love become a preexisting condition?

The little heathen from next door was crawling under the split-rail fence that separated the cottages again. Dax, who already had been feeling pretty damn grumpy going on a year now, wondered why she didn’t just go over the fence. She was big enough. It was almost as if she wanted the mud on her dress and her knees, to drag the ends of her dark red ponytails through the muck.

She crawled under, stood up, and knocked the caked mud off her knees. She stomped her pink, sparkly cowboy boots—never had he seen a more impractical shoe—to make them light up, as she liked to do, hopping around her porch several times a day.

Then she started for cottage Number Two, arms swinging, stride long.

Dax watched her from inside his kitchen, annoyed. It had started a week ago, when she’d climbed on the bottom railing of the fence, leaned over it, and shouted, “I like your dog!”

He’d ignored her.

Two days ago he’d asked her, fairly politely, not to give any more cheese to his dog, Otto. That little stunt of hers had resulted in a very long and malodorous night between man and beast.

Yesterday he’d commanded her to stay on her side of the fence.

But here the little monster came, apparently neither impressed with him nor intimidated by his warnings.

Well, Dax had had enough with that family, or whatever the situation was next door. And the enormous pickup truck that showed up at seven a.m. and idled in the drive just outside his bedroom window. Those people were exactly what was wrong with America—people doing whatever they wanted without regard for anyone else, letting their kids run wild, coming and going at all hours of the day.

He walked to the back screen door and opened it. He’d installed a dog door, but Otto refused to use it. No, Otto was a precious buttercup of a dog that liked to have his doors opened for him, and he assumed that anytime his master neared the door, Dax was opening it for him. He assumed so now, stepping in front of Dax—pausing to stretch after his snoring nap—before sauntering out and down the back porch steps to sniff something at the bottom.

Dax walked out onto the porch and stood with his hands on his hips as the girl brazenly advanced.

“Hi!” she said.

She was about to learn that she couldn’t make a little girl’s social call whenever she wanted. There were rules in this world, and Dax had no compunction about teaching them to her. Clearly someone needed to. He responded to her greeting with a glower.

“Hi!” she said again, shouting this time, as if he hadn’t heard her from the tremendous distance of about six feet.

“What’d I tell you yesterday?” he asked.

“To stay on the other side of the fence.”

“Then why are you over here?”

“I forgot.” She rocked back on her heels and balanced on them, toes up. “Do you live there?”

“No, I just stand on the porch and guard the fence. Yes, I live here. And I work here. And I don’t want visitors. Now go home.”

“My name is Ruby Kokinos. What’s yours?”

What was wrong with this kid? “Where is your mother?”

“At work.”

“Then is your dad home?”

“My daddy is in Africa. He teaches cats to do tricks,” she said, pausing to twirl around on one heel. “Big cats, not little cats. They have really big cats in Africa.”

“Whatever,” he said impatiently. “Who is home with you right now?”

“Mrs. Miller. She’s watching TV. She said I could go outside.”

Great. A babysitter. “Go home,” he said, pointing to Number Three as Otto wandered over to examine Ruby Coconuts, or whatever her name was. “Go home and tell Mrs. Miller that you’re not allowed to come over or under that fence. Do you understand me?”

“What’s your dog’s name?” she asked, petting that lazy, useless mutt.

“Did you hear me?” Dax asked.

“Yes.” She giggled as Otto began to lick her hand, and went down on her knees to hug him. “I always always wanted a dog, but Mommy says I can’t have one now. Maybe when I’m big.” She stroked Otto’s nose, and the dog sat, settling in for some attention.

“Don’t pet the dog,” Dax said. “I just told you to go home. What else did I tell you to do?”

“To, um, to tell Mrs. Miller to stay over there,” she said, as she continued to pet the dog. “What’s her name?”

“It’s a he, and his name is Otto. And I told you to tell Mrs. Miller that you are supposed to stay over there. Now go on.”

She stopped petting the dog, and Otto, not ready for the gravy train of attention to end, began to lick her face. Ruby giggled with delight. Otto licked harder, like she’d been handling red meat. Frankly, it wouldn’t surprise Dax if she had—the kid seemed like the type to be into everything. She was laughing uncontrollably now and fell onto her back. Otto straddled her, his tail wagging as hard as her feet were kicking, trying to lick her while she tried to hold him off.

Nope, this was not going to happen. Those two useless beings were not making friends. Dax marched down off the porch and grabbed Otto’s collar, shoving him out of the way. “Go,” he said to the dog, pointing to his cottage. Otto obediently lumbered away.

Dax turned his attention to the girl with the fantastically dark red hair in two uneven pigtails and, now that he was close to her, he could see her clear blue eyes through the round lenses of her blue plastic eyeglasses, which were strapped to her face with a headband. She looked like a very young little old lady. “Listen to me, kid. I don’t want you over here. I work here. Serious work. I can’t be entertaining little girls.”

She hopped to her feet. “What’s your name?”

Dax sighed. “If I tell you my name, will you go home?”

She nodded, her, long pigtails bouncing around her.

“Dax.”

She stared at him.

“That’s my name,” he said with a shrug.

Ruby giggled and began to sway side to side. “That’s not a real name!”

“It’s as real as Ruby Coconuts.”

“Not Coconuts!” She squealed with delight. “It’s Ruby Kokinos.”

“Yeah, okay, but I’m pretty sure you said Coconuts. Now go home.”

“How old are you?”

“I’m a lot older than you,” he said and put his hands on her shoulders, turning her around.

“I’m going to be seven on my birthday. I want a Barbie for my birthday. I already have four. I want the one that has the car. The pink car with flowers on it. There’s a blue car, but I don’t want that one, I want the pink one, because it has flowers on it. Oh, and guess what, I don’t want a Jasmine anymore. That’s my favorite princess, but I don’t want her anymore, I want a Barbie like Taleesha has.”

“Great. Good luck with that,” he said as he moved her toward the fence.

They had reached the fence, thank God, before the girl could give him a rundown of her entire shoe collection. Ruby dipped down, apparently thinking she’d go under again, but Dax caught her under her arms and swung her over the fence, depositing her on the other side.

Ruby laughed with delight. “Do that again!”

“No. This is where our acquaintance comes to an end, kid. I don’t have time to babysit you, get it?”

“Yes,” she said.

She didn’t get it. She wasn’t even listening. She had already climbed onto the bottom rail, as if she meant to come back over.

“I mean it,” he said, pointing at her. “If I find you on my side of the fence, I’m going to call the police.” He figured that ought to put the fear of God into her.

“The policemans are our friends,” she said sunnily. “A policeman and a police woman came to my kindergarten. But they never shot any peoples.”

Dax had a brief but potent urge to correct her understanding of how plurals worked, but he didn’t. He turned around and marched back to his cottage.

He didn’t even want to look out the kitchen window when he went inside, because if she’d come back over the fence, he would lose it.

He’d known that family was going to be trouble the moment they’d arrived a few days ago. They’d cost him a table leg he’d been working on, because they’d slammed a door so loudly and unexpectedly that Dax had started, and the permanent marker he was using to outline a very intricate pattern on said table leg had gone dashing off in a thick, black, indelible line down the leg. He’d had to sand the leg down and start again.

Naturally, he’d gone to investigate the source of the banging, and he’d seen a woman with a backpack strapped to her leaning into the open hatch area of a banged-up Subaru. She’d pulled out a box, hoisted it into her arms with the help of her knee, then had lugged it up the path and porch steps to Number Three. She’d been wearing short shorts, a T-shirt, and a ball cap. Dax hadn’t seen her face, but he’d seen her legs, which were nice and long and shapely, and a mess of dark hair about the same color as wrought iron, tangled up in the back of the cap. She’d managed to open the door, and then had gone in, letting the door bang behind her.

Neighbors. Dax was not a fan.

*****

Review:

I have to agree with a review I saw on Goodreads – the title and blurb are a little misleading to what actually happens in the book. It suggests that the main part of the book is related to their engagmet of convenience but that really doesn’t happen until the last part of the book and the two have already started to develop a relationship. It doesn’t take away from the book but may disappoint some with what they think they are getting. If you go into it with that in mind, though, it is really enjoyable.

Kyra made a mistake in falling quickly for a guy at a destination wedding only to realize he was not who she thought he was. It hasn’t been easy but she’s trying to give a good life to her daughter and working for a better future. Ruby is quite the handful, though, and quickly takes a liking to their new neighbor … whether he wants it or not 🙂

Dax is hilarious. He wants so badly to be a big ol’ grump but he just can’t help his affection for Ruby. And it shows in a fabulously entertaining way. The two of them together is just too funny and then you quickly realize that while he wants to be that guy the good man underneath can’t help but come thru. He’s got a good reason for being irritable – his wife left him and it’s kinda upended his life. It’s also made him hesitant to date again … then he meets Kyra.

A fun summer read, Suddenly Engaged may be a little different than I expected but it still gave me all the lovely feels that I expected.

(This is the first of the series I’ve read but it seemed completely self-contained.)

*****

Author Info:

Julia London is the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author of more than forty romance novels. Her historical titles include the popular Desperate Debutantes series, the Cabot Sisters series, and the Highland Grooms series. Her contemporary works include the Lake Haven series, the Pine River series, and the Cedar Springs series. She has won the RT Book Club Award for Best Historical Romance and has been a six-time finalist for the prestigious RITA Award for excellence in romantic fiction. She lives in Austin, Texas.

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Raise your hand if you would have done just about anything to get a chance to work with your favorite actor . . . and maybe fall in love 😉

*****

Starshine

by Melody Winter

Contemporary Romance

Date Published: 29th May 2017

Blurb:

Film student Ella Summers can’t believe her luck when she is selected to work on the set of the most anticipated film release of the year—STARSHINE. For the next four weeks, she’ll be in the studio with heart-throb and leading man Alex Denton, and his co-star—and recent ex—the stunning Amy Strickland.

But her first day on set has her questioning the true character of the enigmatic and sexy Alex. The charming celebrity she’s adored on screen disappears before her very eyes—if indeed he ever really existed.

Off-camera arguments between Alex and Amy become difficult to ignore, and when Ella uncovers layers of deceit and closely guarded secrets between them, she becomes involved in a battle that has far-reaching implications.

With the paparazzi hounding her every move for the most sensational story they can get, Ella becomes deeply embroiled in Alex’s life. Can she break down his seemingly impenetrable walls, or will he remain the arrogant ass she first met?

STARSHINE is set in London, England. Beware though—Alex Denton has a crude mouth, and an equally wicked smile.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Melody-Winter

Starshine is exclusive to Amazon and part of KU

*****

Excerpt:

The silence was suddenly broken by the thud of distant music and the roar of a car engine. I glared at the car as it sped along the road toward the bus-stop, and inwardly cursed the idiot behind the wheel.

My glare turned into a worried frown when the silver car slowed down and stopped at the bus-stop. The dark tinted passenger window slowly hummed down, and the thud of music turned into a deafening roar.

The driver of the car was revealed—Alex Denton.

He raised his eyebrows, before lowering his gaze and taking in the sight of my dress clinging to my legs. I was glad I had a cardigan on, no matter that it looked like a wet sack now. At least he couldn’t see my bright pink bra, one that would be very visible underneath a practically transparent wet dress.

Alex licked his bottom lip as he stared at my legs, and I realised that the relief I had felt that he couldn’t see my bra due to my cardigan, had been misplaced. The modest woollen covering wasn’t long enough to cover my lower half. My matching pink pants would be very visible and I suspected that they were what Alex Denton was looking at.

“You’re wet!” he shouted above the relentless thudding of the music.

“You noticed!” I yelled back, wondering why he hadn’t turned the music down if he wanted to talk. I toyed with the idea of whether to accept a lift or not if he offered me one. The thought of being trapped with him in a car had always been a dream of mine, but after everything else that had happened today, I didn’t know whether I had the strength to spend even one more second in his scintillating company. But I was tired and I wanted to get home as quickly as possible. The thought of racing through London in his very expensive sports car, or trudging through traffic on a crammed public bus for a good thirty minutes made my mind up. I’d accept the lift if he offered. If he was sarcastic with me, I could just ignore him. Maybe he’d even mellow a little and I’d get to see what he was really like when he wasn’t in the same room as Amy.

He slowly lifted his hand, curling his finger to beckon me toward the car.

I took one step forward, stopping abruptly as he held his hand up in a halt position. Now what was he doing?

“You really are very wet!” he said before reaching forward and flicking a small silver switch on the central console. The music died, leaving the sound of the engine idling.

“No shit, Einstein. It has just poured down,” I said, my voice edged with sarcasm.

His jaw tightened at my response, and his eyes drifted down my body again.

“Hot pink?” he said, although it sounded more like a question.

I knew exactly what he was referring to. My cheeks heated as I pulled at the front of my cardigan, but it was no use. It wouldn’t stretch to cover my lower body. Knowing there was nothing I could do about my see-through dress, I gritted my teeth and offered Alex a stony stare. One that dared him to continue with his next response.

“I like it,” he said. “Not as slutty at red.”

My body tensed. My nostrils flared as more heat flushed my face. Did he just refer to me as being slutty?

He smiled before pulling a sudden poker face. I was so wrapped up in thinking of a response to his somewhat undisguised insult that I didn’t see the bus approach.

“Shit,” I murmured, as it rumbled past Alex’s car. The next bus wasn’t due for another hour.

Alex watched the bus as it disappeared down the road and then turned to face me.

“See you tomorrow, Work Experience Girl.”

He grinned and winked at me as the car window hummed shut. The loud music started again and the engine revved several times before he sped off in the same direction as the bus.

*****

Author Info:

Growing up, Melody Winter showed a natural ability in art, a head for maths, and a tendency to write far too long English essays. Difficult to place in the world when she graduated, she pursued a career in teaching, but eventually ended up working in finance. Melody is convinced that the methodical time she spends working with numbers fuels her desire to drift into dream worlds and write about the illusory characters in her head.

Melody lives in North Yorkshire, England, with her husband and two teenage sons. When not dealing with football, rugby, and a whole plethora of ‘boy’ activities, she will be found scribbling notes for her stories, or listening to 80’s music on her IPod.

Melody has a tendency to fall head-over-heels in love with her main characters, even when they frustrate her and refuse to act the way she wants them to. She is a romance writer at heart and loves reading and writing about anything mythological or magical, as well as exploring the gritty side of love affairs and the complexities of being in love.

SACHAEL DREAMS was her debut novel, (REUTS Publications, USA) and the first in the New Adult Romantic Fantasy series—the ‘Mine Series’. The second book in the series, SACHAEL DESIRES’, was released in November 2015, and the remaining books in the series, SACHAEL DELUSIONS, and, SACHAEL DESTINY, are due to be released in the near future.

Melody has also self-published two books, INIQUITY, the first book in a Dark New Adult Romantic Fantasy series— ‘The Ascent’ (The second book in the series, ADVERSITY, is due for release later this year.) and STARSHINE, Melody’s first contemporary romance, released 29th May 2017.

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I’m super excited about this one – it’s in my TBR pile and I’m having a hard time waiting for it!

*****

Check My Heart

(previously released in the USA Today bestselling Hot On Ice anthology)

by Christi Barth

Blurb:

The death of his little brother turned Kurt Lundquist’s world upside down. He channeled his grief into skating his heart out–and ultimately leading his hockey team to win the championship. Now, all he wants to do is throw a party with the Cup in his brother’s honor. He’s got no clue where to start…until he runs into the gorgeous hospice nurse who took such great care of Jasper. She’s waaay off limits, but he’s desperate, and hires her to help him.

Lisette Broussard’s heart broke a little more every time a patient died. Losing the brave brother of a hockey star was the last straw. Learning a new specialty was supposed to change her life for the better, but it used up her savings. Then the slam dunk job with the New Orleans championship hockey team mysteriously disappears. So she jumps at Kurt’s offer of a job, no matter how temporary. No matter how…dangerous, given how much she’s always crushed on him. No matter how risky it is to fall for Kurt, since he’ll always associate her with the grief of losing his brother.

But the more time they spend together, the deeper they both fall. Kurt’s heart begins to thaw…and then heat. Lisette can’t resist him, and throws caution to the wind. She’ll take whatever time he gives her. Can they move beyond the pain of the past and focus on a future together?

God. Why would Lisette want to keep touching such a wallowing, messed-up son of a bitch? The words, the truth that kept him immobilized on this decision ripped from his throat like gravel spraying from his Harley tires. “Tell me how I can turn my back on my team and my friends and still be able to look myself in the mirror.”

She pressed up against his back, arms circling his waist like a life preserver. “How do you do it now? How do you look past your grief to see what’s truly in your reflection?”

“I don’t.”

Her fingers curved into his stomach. “You don’t look in mirrors?”

“Not for a while now.” Trying to make light of it, Kurt rasped a hand across his two-day-old stubble. “I’ve got an electric razor. Makes it so easy I can do it with my eyes shut. I was tired of seeing nothing but a scowl.”

“Oh, I get it, believe me. But feeling good, being happy? It takes practice every bit as much as skating.” Going up on her tiptoes, Lisette murmured into his ear, “I declare that smile practice is now in session.”

Then her fingers splayed, arrowing down to just below the waist of his shorts. Just enough to make him wish they’d damn well keep going. She scraped her teeth along the cords of his neck, then licked a path down to where Kurt knew she could feel his pulse jackrabbiting through the skin. Lisette sucked. Sucked and swirled her tongue. That was all it took to bring his dick into a full-out lunge, trying to meet her fingertips.

Kurt reached back and around to pull her closer. He got two handfuls of the sweetest ass he’d ever touched and squeezed. Kneaded. His hands almost completely covered those taut globes. He couldn’t wait to see how they’d look doing exactly that on her naked skin.

He didn’t care if she gave him a hickey. Didn’t care that the guys would give him a mountain of shit if he walked into the locker room with a love bite like a teenager. The only thing Kurt cared about was the way her tongue lapped at him, sending shivers of sensation straight down to his dick.

They weren’t really kissing. They were fully clothed, in a fucking warehouse. They weren’t even face-to-face. But her assault on his neck was so damn hot, Kurt was ready to shove up her skirt and take her on the floor, with the goddamned goldfish watching.

Whispering, breath feathering against his ear, Lisette ordered, “Look at your reflection in the bowl, Kurt. What do you see?”

He turned his head to catch a smug, satisfied grin curling up the edges of his mouth. Huh. Kurt twisted to see her wet lips and flushed cheeks. Guess she’d enjoyed giving as well as getting. Which turned him on even more. “You think I’m good in a practice session? You should catch me in the real deal.”

*****

Author Info:

USA TODAY bestselling author Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage. A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning. Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes award-winning contemporary romance, including the Naked Men and Aisle Bound series.

Christi can always be found either whipping up gourmet meals (for fun, honest!) or with her nose in a book. She lives in Maryland with the best husband in the world.

I’m so excited to bring you this book … and so sasd to see the series end 😦

*****

To Win Her Smile

Players, Book 5

by Mackenzie Crowne

Blurb:

Sometimes love and luck collide . . .

When sultry British Baroness Piper Darrow falls on desperate times, she needs a diversion—and cash. As a talented photographer, she jumps at the chance to travel to the U.S. for a Manhattan Marauders football event. But she gets more than she bargained for when buff quarterback Wyatt Hunter’s errant pass lands . . . in her face. And when it results in Wyatt’s comeback of a lifetime, the superstitious athlete is convinced Piper is his good luck charm . . .

With his sights on the Super Bowl, Wyatt will do anything necessary to keep Piper close. The fact that she’s a feast for the eyes is a bonus. And as they get closer, he discovers that beneath her proper English surface is a sweet, sexy seductress. Soon the notorious playboy finds himself genuinely smitten, and surprisingly open to love—until his powerful family uncovers something about Piper that threatens to shatter his trust. Now he’ll have to decide whether to team up with his fears, or his heart.

“Why did you come back?” She arched a brow, and he was quick to clarify. “Not that I’m complaining, mind you, but you made it pretty damned clear you thought I was nuts.”

She paused with her fork hovering over the open carton. “Technically, I still think you’re full-on barmy.” A single dimple popped in her cheek and her emerald eyes twinkled with laughter. “But, I’ve been assured your money is quite spendable.”

He didn’t have a fucking clue what barmy was, but if accusing him of being so made her smile like that, he’d gladly become the king of Barmyville. He poured himself a glass of wine. “So, you came back for the money?”

He’d rather she’d come back for his body, but she was here. Sitting in his kitchen. He wasn’t one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

She paused in scooping the Chinese noodles and shrimp onto her plate and cocked her head. “Even we duchesses are occasionally in need of coin.”

“Touché.” He chuckled, then sipped at the chilled chardonnay. “If you don’t mind my asking, what’s V paying you for the Marauders’ deal?”

Piper set aside the carton and picked up her fork. “Fifty-thousand dollars, plus expenses, and the copyright purchase of all the photographs I produce.”

He whistled between his teeth. “Not bad money for five weeks of work.”

She nodded her agreement, and satisfaction gleamed in her eyes. “Added to the one-hundred-thousand you’ll be paying me, you can understand why I came back.”

He dipped his chin and leaned in to tease her. “Yeah, duchess, now that I’m thinking about it, that amount is pretty high. Especially since the profits go to charity.”

She didn’t blink an eye. “Sorry, that figure is non-negotiable. I’ll require half up front with the remainder due upon completion of the photographs, which is the same arrangement I made with V on the Fab Five project.”

He bit back a grin and leaned toward her with his elbows on the granite countertop. “That’s all well and good for V, but if you recall, the one-hundred-thousand-dollars was contingent upon your physical attendance at all twenty of my games this season.”

She mirrored his position, leaning in. “Which I’m willing to do, if you agree to your originally quoted figure, plus cover any additional travel expenses I’ve incurred once I’m back in England and have to return to follow you around the States.”

He straightened with a jolt. “Hold on. Are you screwing with my head? You’re willing to show up at the games?”

He’d all but given up on that happening, which sucked. Sharing a bed with her would be impossible from the other side of the Atlantic, but then, sleeping with her wasn’t a requirement of her lucky charm status. Neither, technically, was her attendance at his games when a weekly phone call would’ve covered it, but he wasn’t about to admit that now.

Having her on his turf, live and in person, was worth a hell of a lot more to him than a lousy hundred K.

Her lips flattened in a prim line. “It’s the least I can do, considering you’re paying me a fortune. And, I assure you, I have never screwed with anyone’s head.”

He choked on a laugh. Jesus, with the exception of that bollocks slip, the woman spoke like Queen Elizabeth’s spinster cousin. The contradiction of Piper’s upper crust speech and made-for-sin body, not to mention the way she’d kissed him… He shook his head. He’d bet his Aston Martin she hadn’t learned that skill at some dusty boarding school. Fuck, yeah. The enticing paradox of her was a definite head screw.

He grinned. “Then you should try it sometime. You have a natural talent for it.” She slowly straightened on her stool and he held up his hand. “You’ve got yourself a deal. One-hundred-thousand plus any travel expenses to get you to and from the games after you’ve finished the calendar and returned to England.” And since it appeared this was his lucky day, and she was in such a generous mood… “One more thing. About that suite at the Plaza…”

Blink, blink, blink.

Just when he thought his heart was going to explode, she sniffed. “Now, you’re just being greedy.”

Well, hell-o, duchess. She hadn’t said no.

*****

Review:

Wyatt has perfected the charming rascal face that he shows the world and for the most part he’s found a way to live a life that he wants. But all is not perfect in his world. Piper knows what it is like to have the world turn on you but she’s got moxie and is willing to work for what she holds dear. It can’t be easy for either of them living in such scrutiny, but at least it is something that they can both understand. And best of all, both of them have a great support system in their friends and family. (Well, for the most part.)

Together Wyatt and Piper are a hoot. From their first introduction to the take no prisoners seduction campaign that Wyatt stages, there is laughter and fun and heat. He definitely makes it difficult for Piper to do what she feels is best and resist the oh-so-tempting QB. And then … *sigh* I knew before I started that Wyatt was going to do something to screw things up. (Well, one of them was and it was most likely going to be him.) That didn’t stop me from giving these two my heart and then watching him just stomp all over it. I understand why he does what he does – and major props to the guy for making up for it – but that didn’t stop me from getting mad and hurt … but that’s what tells you you’ve found a great book and an amazing author, right? That you get so invested in the characters that it feels like you are involved with them too?

I have loved this series from the beginning and I was super excited to be given the chance to not only read this one but to be involved in promoting it. At least until I realized that Ms. Crowne said this was it, the last of the series. Say it isn’t so!!! If this is your first chance to experience these rough and tumble football players (and the women who bring them to their knees) it is definitely a great place to start. But don’t blame me when you find yourself adding the rest to your TBR pile 🙂

*****

Author Info:

Mackenzie Crowne is an award-winning, bestselling author, breast cancer survivor, and personal assistant to Freeway, a rambunctious pound puppy, Zoe, the blind cat, and Gato, a stray Tom with a big heart. Her friends call her Mac. She hopes you will too.

The guys in the Single Dads Club would tell you it was time years ago, but until recently, the risk of hurting my little girl outweighed the benefit of getting a piece of ass.

Now that I have a tween daughter on my hands? It’s becoming more apparent with every poster hung on the wall, every fight over wearing make-up and every uncomfortable conversation about puberty, that at least one of us needs a female touch in our lives.

Jesus. I can’t even think the words ‘female touch’ without thinking of her.

Charlotte Rose. Charlie.

She’s everything I shouldn’t want, but someone needs to tell that to my damn libido because every time she’s around I have a constant case of blue balls.

There’s a list of reasons why I shouldn’t give into what I feel—she’s my best friend’s little sister, she’s seen me at my most vulnerable, and the biggest one—she’s the first person in twelve years who has the potential to break me.

5 Star Review – “Holy Mother of Men! Hands down the best book of the series and Garrett is definitely one sexy beast!” – Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog

5 STar Review – “OMG! So let me start off with this amazingly gorgeous cover! I have to say that this one is hands down, without a doubt my favorite of the series (although I love them all), but the only thing that would have made it even better is just a little more #GroinCleavage.” – Whoo Gives a Hoot

5 Star Review – “This book was so, so yummy. The sexual tension between Garrett and Charlie is insane and when they finally give in to their desire, the sexy times are melt-your-kindle HOT!” – ViolinVixen

We end up in the teen area and I’m amazed at the selection. No more just white, tan, and cream cotton bras with a pink bow in the middle. This stuff is actually fun and fashionable.

“I’m loving these bralettes.” I put one up to my chest. A chest that would most definitely be pouring out of one of these.

“They’re all so cute, I can’t decide,” Sydney says from inside the fitting room.

“I love the mint green lace one that criss-crosses,” I say, sitting down in the chair.

“Me too, but there’s a rainbow striped one that looks like a unicorn that’s awesome, too.”

Sydney’s usually been so quiet and reserved when I see her, but seeing this side of her is nice.

“Well, let’s get four to start you off. So, get those and pick two others.”

“Really? Oh great.”

“It’s on your dad, so no worries.”

We both laugh.

My phone chimes with a text and I look down at it in my hand.

Garrett: Buy something for yourself as a thank you for what you’re doing.

I smile, my thumbs typing out my response before I can think better of it.

Me: You can pick it out if you’d like.

I imagine his cheeks reddening and him running his hand along his beard. Was that pushing the envelope too far?

Garrett: Send me a picture and I’ll okay it.

Apparently not. I smile to myself.

Me: Would you prefer me to model it?

The three dots appear and then disappear and reappear again.

I second-guess sending the cheeky text and quickly brush off my unease. What’s a little flirting between friends? If you can even call us that…

“Syd, are you good?” I ask, still staring down at my phone as the three dots continue their disappearing act.

“Yeah, I have about six more to try on.”

“Okay, I’m just going to look around the store.”

“All right.”

I head into the store, finding a black push up bra and see-through panties on display. Snapping a picture, I send it off to Garrett.

Again, the three dots appear and then disappear.

Garrett: Whatever you like.

Me: I’m undecided on this set or…

Before I can even take a picture, he responds.

Garrett: No more pictures, just buy whatever.

I snap the picture of a red lacy half cup demi bra and thongs panties.

Garrett: Enough, Charlie.

Me: Maybe I should model them for you?

Garrett: Vance would kill me.

Me: Vance is in LA.

Garrett: Just buy both then.

Me: I don’t want to spend all your money. I’m happy to have you be the decision maker.

Garrett: I have enough money, buy both.

I laugh to myself and decide to head back to the dressing room to check on Sydney. On the way I see a pink bodysuit with a slit down the middle that reaches all the way down to the naval. It’s lacy and see through. I snap a picture.

Me: Maybe this would be more flattering on me?

Garrett: Jesus. How the hell am I going to hide this hard-on in the FOOD COURT?

Me: Is that a compliment?

Garrett: Take it however you want.

Me: I’ll take it as a compliment. As long as it’s me you’re imagining in the lingerie and not someone else.

Garrett: You know exactly what I’m envisioning. Vance would string me up by my balls if he knew.

Me: Vance is in LA and I’m a grown woman, remember?

Garrett: I don’t have to remember. I see your grown womanhood every damn day.

“There you are,” Syd says as she comes up alongside me.

“Oh.” The phone drops from my hands and falls to the floor. “How did you do?” I bend down to pick it up.

“You okay?” Sydney’s eyes widen. “Your face is flushed.”

“I’m fine.” I shove my phone in my back pocket and eye her items. Cute and preteenish. “Perfect, so you’re all set?”

“Um…yeah.” She’s still eyeing me skeptically but seems to let the topic go.

“Let’s go. Your dad is waiting for us.”

Sydney glances at the bodysuit her dad and I were just discussing.

“Eyes forward.” I snap my fingers in front of her face and her head turns in my direction.

“Um…okay,” she says with a strange look on her face, but follows me to the register anyway.

*****

Review:

I’m pretty sure that I missed out a little bit by not having read any of the other books in the series. Piper Rayne does a great job of making sure that you have all of the pertinent details but I think that these characters and their connection were built up over time and not having that history meant that I didn’t have that going in. On the other hand though I didn’t have that going in so I was able to make my own opinion of their romance 🙂

I love the idea that Charlie has had a thing for Garrett for a long time, that she’s been there to support him. The sibling’s best friend plot is one of my favorite and it is handled well here. But there’s more going on here though and I think all of it is done with a deft hand.

Garrett has spent years taking care of his daughter and mourning his wife. He’s thrown himself into being a dad and avoided relationships to keep from getting hurt like that again. It took him years to start doing anything more than survive, even with a baby to take care of, and he’s not looking for anything more. But he should know that Charlie isn’t the type to give up easily.

Together these two are a lot of fun. Charlie is spunky and willing to tweak Garrett when she needs to, while Garrett is all sorts of sexy when he lets himself be. There’s a lot of struggle in the beginning before he finally decides to give in, so be prepared for a decent amount of back and forth between the two. But when he does decide that he’s willing to get involved … whew! He definitely doesn’t hold back 🙂

A friends to lovers story with a lot of heat and sizzle, Sexy Beast also shows itself to be an emotion driven read about learning to face your fears and being willing to open yourself to love again.

*****

Author Info:

Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two established authors for the price of one. You might be wondering if you know us? Maybe you’ll read our books and figure it out. Maybe you won’t. Does it really matter?

We aren’t trying to stamp ourselves with a top-secret label. We wanted to write without apology. We wanted to not be pigeon holed into a specific outline. We wanted to give readers a story without them assuming how the story will flow. Everyone has their favorite authors, right? And when you pick up their books, you expect something from them. Whether it’s an alpha male, heavy angst, a happily ever after, there’s something you are absolutely certain the book will contain. Heck, we’re readers, too, we get it.

What can we tell you about ourselves? We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We’re both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We’re both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.

A sizzling new series about three friends looking for love-and the sexy SEALs who are ready to fulfill their craziest fantasies.

He’s a man on a mission.

Navy SEAL Trent Lawson isn’t a man to back down from a challenge. Ever since he opened his eyes in that army hospital to learn the men from his unit were gone, Trent has been determined to live life in their honor. Even if that means facing his most terrifying mission yet…dating.

She’s done playing games.

Lauren Hayes has standards. In fact, she’s got an entire list of them. There’s only ever been one man to come close to making the cut-Trent Lawson. Except her best friend’s too-sexy-for-his-own-good brother is strictly off-limits.

When Trent and Lauren find themselves matched up by a dating service, the chemistry between them is nothing short of explosive. They both know getting involved is a huge mistake, but life is too short to walk away from something this good.

“Then be my first.” Lauren drew a deep breath and pressed herself into his arms, sliding her hands up his back. “It’s not like I’m asking you to do me right here and now. It can happen at whatever pace you need it to.”

He cupped her chin in his palm, brow furrowed, gaze intense. “You’re okay with that?”

She lifted onto her toes, trying to close the space between them. “I’m okay with that. If it makes you feel better to put a label on this, consider us friends with benefits. When it stops being mutually satisfying, it ends.”

She’d just have to be sure to keep her head in the right place, so that her heart didn’t get broken in the end. This was a fling with a sexy guy, no more, no less.

He let out an agonized groan and brushed his mouth over hers, so lightly she shivered. “God, I can’t resist you anymore. I have a few requests.”

Her heart hammered in giddy anticipation. She hadn’t expected him to accept. That he had sent myriad thoughts flying through her mind, all of which settled low in her belly. “Okay.”

He pulled back. For a moment his gaze dropped as his fingers idly stroked her shoulder, like he couldn’t help but touch her. “You can’t tell Mandy.”

Lauren rolled her eyes. “Trent, she’s my best friend.”

“Yeah, but she’s my sister. The last thing I need is her privy to the intimate details of my prowess in the bedroom.” He brushed his nose against hers, amusement glinting in his eyes. “I recall overhearing a conversation about size once.”

Heat rushed into her face, but Lauren couldn’t contain her grin. She recalled that exact conversation. They hadn’t discussed him, exactly, but she remembered distinctly wondering.

“All right. On this I’ll concede, because you have a point.” She rubbed a circle over his chest. “What else?”

“I want to put a time limit on this. A month. When it’s over, we go back to being just friends.” His hands looped around her waist, pulling her flush against him. Heat flared in his eyes. “I also think we should ease into this. So my last request is no sex.”

Lauren dropped her forehead to his shoulder with an exasperated sigh. “I’m never going to lose my virginity that way.”

He chuckled and hooked two fingers beneath her chin, tilting her gaze back to his. His eyes blazed at her. “At least not right away. I’m proposing we do everything else first. Because I was thinking…you want the full experience, right?”

She shrugged. He had her there. “I guess.”

“And that includes things like kissing. Touching.” He leaned down, his voice lowering to a husky rumble against her mouth. “Tasting.”

A hot little shudder moved through her as her mind filled with the possibilities: his rough hands closing around her breasts, fingers sliding into her panties, stroking her sex.

His warm mouth buried between her thighs.

“I like that idea. Doing it all. How ’bout, since you stayed last night, instead of lunch today, we start with dinner tomorrow night?” She pinned him with a direct stare and arched a brow, attempting to look fierce, but one corner of her mouth twitched, betraying her. “You still owe me a date.”

*****

Review:

How these two thought this would work out boggles the mind. Don’t get me wrong, I feel for them but it wasn’t the smartest decision ever made 🙂

Trent came back from war with scars inside and out. He suffers from survivor’s guilt, a little PTSD, and a bum leg. It’s his heart that gives him the most trouble. His wife left him while he was away and added to the guilt he feels for letting his team down causing him to pretty much turn inwards. He’s making the motions but he’s not really living life. The bright spot for him is his sister’s friend Lauren. She’s the one that seems to understand what he needs during his recovery and he definitely doesn’t want to lose that. He may be attracted to her but he doesn’t believe he’s in any shape to give away his heart again and she definitely doesn’t deserve anything less.

Lauren has always had a crush on Trent but he doesn’t see her the same. She’s been hiding her feelings for a long time but when they get set up by a dating agency it seems like maybe it’s a sign. Only he’s not willing to risk their friendship (and the support she provides him). But when their attraction starts getting the best of them they make an agreement for a month of sex … yeah, see what I mean? They are both old enough to know that that can’t possibly go well.

There’s a bit of back and forth at the beginning leading up to their agreement, which gives you a good feeling for where they are coming from. And then they definitely bring all sorts of the sexy for their month together. It’s the feels that happen afterward, though, that will definitely capture your heart and keep you coming back to see their HEA. And have you looking forward to the next book.

*****

Author Info:

J.M. Stewart is a coffee and chocolate addict who lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two sons and two very spoiled dogs. She’s a hopeless romantic who believes everybody should have their happily ever after and has been devouring romance novels for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her obsession.

I dare you to come meet Breezy and not want to be friends – she is such a doll 🙂

*****

Mister Hockey

Hellions Angels #1

by Lia Riley

Releasing July 11, 2017

Avon Impulse

Blurb:

Her biggest fantasy is about to become a reality…

Jed West is Mr. Hockey. The captain of the NHL’s latest winning team, the Denver Hellions—and the hottest player on the ice—at least according to every magazine. .and Breezy Angel. Breezy has been drooling over Jed at games for years, and he plays a starring role in her most toe-curling fantasies. But dirty dreams don’t come true, right?

Then Jed saunters through the doors of her library, a last minute special guest for a summer reading event, and not only is he drop dead gorgeous up close, his personality is straight up swoon-worthy. He even comes to the rescue when she has an R-rated “Super Book Worm” costume malfunction. But when he mistakenly assumes she’s more into books than pucks, she’s too flustered to correct his mistake. And then comes a big kiss, followed by a teensy-tiny problem. Jed’s dating policy is simple: Never date a fan.

So what’s a fangirl going to have to do to convince her ultimate crush that he’s become less of a perfect fantasy, and more like the perfect man. . .for her?

Jed West’s stomach curdled faster than overheated hollandaise sauce as he squinted at the menu for Zachary’s, Denver’s most popular all-day breakfast hangout. Ghost-like shadows haunted the specials list, blurring the descriptions for peanut butter French toast, country fried steak benedict and sweet potato pancakes. Ah, shit. Not fucking now. There went the prices too–the dollar signs and numbers blurring until barely legible.

No point blinking. He knew the drill. Jaw tight, he reached for his orange juice, took a swig and waited. Short bouts of double vision had dogged him ever since Game Seven, the pattern the same. After a minute or two, his focus would snap back to normal as if nothing had happened. Until then, he needed to follow one of coach’s favorite axioms: “Suck it up, Buttercup.”

Who cared about the damn menu anyway? He pushed it to one side, having already ordered the “Manwich”, chorizo and eggs smashed between a jalapeno cheddar biscuit–the kind of breakfast that wanted to kill you in the best kind of ways–and crunched ice. Too bad the cubes didn’t pass on their chill, because this. . .situation for lack of a better word, was getting under his skin and it shouldn’t.

No–Scratch that. It couldn’t.

Unexplained double vision wasn’t a walk in the park, but facts were facts. And the ugly truth was that if he didn’t quit batting his lashes like Scarlett O’Hara with a fly in her skirt, The Post’s toughest sports columnist would glance up from across the table, mistake his tic for a cheesedick wink, and go Lord of the Flies on his nut sack.

At least for the moment, Neve Angel was occupied. She hunched over her digital voice recorder, dark bangs obscuring her sharp gaze as she fiddled with the control settings. Her lips moved to the upbeat Buddy Holly song piping over the sound system while she plucked a mic from her messenger bag. His vision came back online in time for him to read the orange button pinned to the front.

Had a Ball at The Rock Creek Testicle Festival.

Christ, looked to be an authentic souvenir too.

Slamming his knees together, he forced a grin, the one that had potential endorsements lined up around the block, eager for him to shill everything from vitamin infused coconut water to shaving cream. He unwrapped the paper napkin from around the fork and knife, and began tearing the corner into neat strips.

No doubt the eye thing was fatigue-related, an inevitable toll from the grueling NHL season and subsequent hard-fought playoffs. Everything would be all right in the end. If it wasn’t all right, it wasn’t the end.

“You plan on telling me what’s up with Mount Napkin Shreds?” Neve leaned her elbows on the recycled wood tabletop, a signal they were shifting into interview mode. Her brows arched beneath her thick-cut bangs. “Nervous about being in the hot seat, princess?”

“Yeah, terrified,” he answered laconically, not missing a beat. Hiding his true feelings behind a mask of confidence was a reflex; it came with the territory of having the “C” stitched on the front of his jersey. A good captain never showed fear to an opponent. “A jackal’s bark is worse then it’s bite.”

The Hellions Head Coach, Tor Gunnar, had a reputation for dismissing the press as “jackals.” He fostered a tense relationship with journalists, in particular, the tiny woman sitting opposite. Neve had run a piece on his divorce a few years ago. He retaliated by refusing to call on her during press conferences. Neve hit back with increasingly critical op-eds. Their mutual enmity had devolved to the stuff of local legend.

*****

Review:

Poor Breezy! She meets her biggest crush in quite an embarrassing manner, but Jed (like us) can only be charmed by her. She’s fun loving, funny and so very real. Every time something awkward happens I just want to give her a hug.

Jed knows there is a version of himself that most people see and it is so appealing to be seen as just a guy. A hot, sexy guy but just a guy. He’s got a lot on his plate between family pressure and some issues with his career, so having found Breezy gives him that bright spot that he needs at a difficult time.

You can totally relate to both Jed and Breezy – why he wants to be seen as him and how she ends up hiding her fan status from him. You know that it isn’t going to go well, that something is going to happen to blow things out of the water. The best you can do is hope that Jed gets his act together and figures out what a great catch he has in Breezy. I have to say that he does do pretty well for himself 🙂 (Can’t wait to see what comes next … Riley has set us up for quite the doozy of a stand off between Breezy’s sister and Jed’s coach!)

*****

Author Info:

After studying at the University of Montana-Missoula, Lia Riley scoured the world armed only with a backpack, overconfidence and a terrible sense of direction. She counts shooting vodka with a Ukranian mechanic in Antarctica, sipping yerba mate with gauchos in Chile and swilling fourex with stationhands in Outback Australia among her accomplishments.

Like this:

Y’all, I love the imagination that Nikky Kaye has when she’s creating her books!

*****

No Excuses

by Nikky Kaye

Blurb:

Maddie’s rules for attending a work retreat:1Pack the right clothes. Especially extra underwear.2Don’t try to school your insanely hot boss on acceptable trust exercises.3Be prepared for the extracurricular ropes course.4Make sure there is a safety net when you fall, because you will fall hardGage doesn’t appreciate how hard it is to be his right hand woman—especially when I’m spending so much time with my own right hand, fantasizing about him. My demanding, control freak boss is testing all my limits, and I don’t know how long I can stay professional.

No Excuses is a hot, full-length contemporary romance, featuring blindfolds, rope play, food fights, and sexy architectural features like wainscoting. As in all Nikky Kaye books, cheating is not allowed, but some funny stuff and a HEA are non-negotiable.

He moved close to me, our bodies nearly touching. I kept my eyes on his chest as he gently draped one of the ties around me, cool and soft on the nape of my neck. The tiny hairs under my ears stood up at the feel of the silk sliding across my skin. Every sense I had was on high alert.

He smelled like fresh laundry, and a trace of something else lingered on his skin. It was almost like the scent of paper, or an overworked photocopier. I felt the heat from his hands close to my throat, and the hairs on his forearms tickled my collarbone for an infinitesimal moment.

My attention remained focused on the buttons of his shirt. I was very worried that if I met his gaze, my hyper awareness of him would shine out of my eyes like a flashlight.“We’ll just leave this here for now,” he murmured, flicking one end of the tie against the underside of my chin. “Are you ready?”

Not even remotely.

I nodded mutely, but I let out a little gasp when his fingers touched my chin and tilted my face up. It was so tempting to screw my eyes shut, like a little girl trying to pretend that something didn’t exist if she couldn’t see it. I’d had plenty of practice with that before.

But he wouldn’t let me retreat. He looked at me directly and without guile, as usual. What was a little different this time, however, was the way his eyes darkened into stormy seas.

My voice cracked as I said, “Mister Gage.” It wasn’t an answer or a question, a protest or a plea. I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to say, and whatever was building in me halted as he lifted the other piece of fabric to my eyes.

He smoothed his thumbs across the strip of silk over my eyes, spreading out from the bridge of my nose to my temples. The tie was held firm between his fingers—those nimble fingers that paused in my hair briefly before they met again at the back of my head.

“Is that too tight?” he asked as he pulled the half-knot.

The sound of the silk rubbing against itself whispered in my ear. I shook my head. His hands clutched my hair and held me still.

“I’m not done.” His fingers tangled in my hair as he finished tying, pulling a few strands just enough to make me suck in a breath.

Gage had never touched me this much in the whole time I’d been working with him. Just the memory of his hands in my hair was enough to make me wobbly in the knees.He dragged his thumbs across my covered eyes again, like a parent wiping away their child’s tears. Tracing his index fingers lightly over my eyebrows, he made an indistinct but satisfied noise.

“I can’t see anything,” I complained.

I was so blind that I flinched when his mouth dipped to my ear. “Good,” he chuckled.Reflexively I swayed toward him, like a flower toward the sun. He pressed his thumbs gently into my cheekbones, then his fingertips left a trail of fire down my jaw and neck. On the journey he slipped the other tie from where it dangled around my neck, and pressed it into my trembling hands.

“Tie me up,” he ordered in a low voice.

Yeah, those were words I definitely never expected to hear from my boss’s mouth.

*****

Review:

What starts out as a boss/secretary fantasy novel quickly turns into something more. Maddie’s adoption has left her with some issues regarding her self-worth as well as her ability to apply herself. Gage has some pretty serious social interaction issues (enough that I’m kinda curious how he’s been so successful in business so far). Both of them are good at making the other one better. Maddie helps smooth out Gage’s rough edges, helping deal with people with more humanity. And Gage believes that Maddie can, and will, do great which means she starts to believe it too.

There’s humor and heat in Nikky Kaye’s work. She’s fantastic at taking a traditional storyline and giving it a little twist 🙂

*****

Author Info:

Nikky Kaye is almost my real name. I’m a former Film professor who likes more than her movies to be black and white. Sadly, the world doesn’t work that way. I have worked with movie stars, Ivy League brainiacs, and the United Nations—all of which means that I’m familiar with ass-kissing, power struggles, greed and faking it. In my spare time I parent 5 year-old twin boys, serve on the board of an independent cinema, and run a medical consulting company.

Like this:

This one is in my TBR pile … and I think I might need a couple of tissues too 🙂

*****

Home Field

Warriors of the Heart #1

By Laurie Winter

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age category: Adult

Release Date: 30 June, 2017

Blurb:

One year after her husband is killed in action, Julie Ellis is back in her hometown and focused on raising her young son. Then Reagan Harrison bursts into her life—a cocky, charming linebacker who leaves her off balance.

As a successful, professional athlete, Reagan believes he has it all. But after meeting Julie, he finds every excuse in the book to spend time with her. Despite his best efforts not to fall too hard, Reagan envisions a future with Julie, along with the little boy he’s come to love as his own.

While Reagan’s protective love begins to mend Julie’s spirit, she can’t suppress her continued deep devotion to her late husband’s memory. And when a letter arrives from beyond the grave, Reagan resolves to provide her with the answers she desperately needs to heal. Now Julie must choose either to keep her heart closed off or remove the lock and fight for a future with Reagan. Can a second chance at true love be just as sweet?

“Thanks for understanding me.” Julie softly kissed his cheek. The rough stubble tickled her lips. “Even when I don’t understand myself.” She went to sit in her chair to finish her cup of coffee.

At that moment, she noticed the kitchen. What anunbelievable mess! Who’d actually cooked breakfast…aclass of rowdy five-year-olds? She gave Reagan a sideways glance, to see him moving a last piece of waffle around his plate, collecting any remaining egg and syrup. “Did you use every bowl I own?”

He was the messiest cook she’d ever seen. A huge pile of dirty dishes sat on the counter, covered in dried waffle batter and egg. Bits of syrup-laden crumbs dotted the kitchen floor, like a sticky breadcrumb trail.

His smile held no hint of guilt, and he shrugged. “Nobody’s perfect.”

No, not perfect—but he was pretty darn close.

*****

Author Info:

Laurie Winter is a true warrior of the heart. Inspired by her dreams, she creates authentic characters who overcome the odds and find true love. She keeps her life balanced with regular yoga practice and running. When not pounding the pavement or the keyboard, she’s enjoying time with her family, who are scattered between Wisconsin and Michigan. Laurie has three kids and one fantastic husband, all who inspire her to chase her dreams.

Jaden Matthews has never known his father or his father’s family, but he’s about to get a crash course on having siblings. With the recent passing of his grandmother, he’s discovered he has three half-brothers and part ownership of a gym. In Serenity, Florida. His life in New York has hit a rocky road, so maybe this is the vacation he needs to get things back on track.

Chase Michaels lost his future in a car crash almost ten years ago, and he’s made a new one for himself in Serenity. One that doesn’t include getting emotionally involved with people who are just passing through. But Jaden makes his common sense flee and his gut react. He’s got one month with the man who made him believe in taking a chance.

“Is everything all right?” asked a warm, very male voice from behind him. It sent a shiver racing down Jaden’s spine. Huh. That was weird.

He turned.

Standing on the shoulder of the road was a Calvin Klein model. He was taller than Jaden, probably some insanely genetically gifted six foot something, and his legs…. Jaden’s mouth might have watered a little. They were really long and very shapely. His jeans were molded to his thighs. His big, muscular thighs. Jaden swallowed heavily. His plain white shirt clung to an equally wonderful chest, outlining defined pecs and hinting at the type of abdomen Jaden watched porn to see normally. He was tan, with a chiseled jaw and high cheekbones, big, luscious pink lips. His eyes were hidden by his sunglasses, Ray Bans, and his hair was a silky ear length fall of chestnut.

Jaden had to wonder if he’d passed out in his car from the heat and this was all a fantastic hallucination. If the guy took his shirt off, that’d answer the question.

Maybe he should cut back on the porn….

“You okay?”

He blinked. The guy’s shirt was still on. So this god was actually here to be his knight in shining armor. Wow. Too bad he was about to make himself look like a giant dumbass. “My car is out of gas,” he said. “And I don’t know where I am.”

The man smiled. He had dimples. Two of them. One in each cheek.

Jaden’s knees felt weak. Man, the heat was really getting to him. He leaned against his car for stability. Sweat was trickling down his neck, under his collar, and over his spine. When he licked his lips, Jaden tasted salt. So he was lost and grossly sweaty on the side of the road. Definitely the picture one wanted to present to the hottest man he’d ever seen in person.

“You’re on State Road 22, about ten miles outside of Serenity.”

Jaden’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding me, right? Ten miles? All this car needed to make it was ten more miles?” If he had a junk car like Mr. Hottie, he’d kick it in frustration, but he drove an Audi so he settled for stomping his foot. Unreal. He was so close to his destination.

“I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you’re headed to Serenity, then?” asked the man, and he may have been beyond sexy, but the smirk on his face was starting to irritate Jaden. Jaden’s frustration wasn’t amusing, damnit.

“I am,” he said.

This got him a thorough head to toe evaluation from his potential rescuer. He straightened, trying to make his shoulders look broader. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to fix the sweat dampened mess. He felt like he had to be coming up wanting in this man’s judgment. In his ear, the operator asked, “Can I let you go now, or would you like me to keep wasting my time?”

He hung up on her. If he ended up dead, his ghost could haunt her.

“I can give you and your small horse there a lift to the gas station and back,” he offered, holding out his hand to Magneto, who cautiously walked toward him, black and white ears slicked to his skull and nose twitching. He’d never been a fan of strangers. It’d taken him weeks to get used to Drew, simply because Jaden had been the one to pick him up as a puppy from the shelter. Originally, Magneto was an intended birthday gift for Drew. Jaden’s plan backfired, but he couldn’t say he was sorry about it. As Jaden watched, Magneto tentatively sniffed the proffered hand and then his large tongue flicked out and left slobber in its wake. The man smiled and laughed, crouching to put himself face to face with Magneto. The next kiss landed on his cheek.

Jaden guessed that answered the question of if he could trust this guy. Obviously his dog did, and that probably meant something. “I’d appreciate it. Thank you,” he said. He shifted awkwardly. Should he offer to pay him for the assistance? Maye once they were at the station. Caution urged him to wait to reveal his wallet.

“Magneto.” Chase Michaels…. Why did the name sound vaguely familiar? Jaden couldn’t place it. He shook his head. It was probably nothing. “Like the X-Man.” He tacked the line on automatically now, to beat the other person to the inevitable question. Magneto trotted over at his name, abandoning Chase’s attention for Jaden. He rewarded him with an under the chin scratch. “And I’m Jaden. Matthews.”

Chase wiped his slobber coated hands down his jeans as he stood. Jaden winced. “Nice to meet you. Want to get going or do you need to get anything from the car first?”

“Let me grab his leash.” While he picked the leash up, he slipped his wallet into his pocket. He remembered at the last second to take his keys. Locking himself out would be the cherry on top of his day. He didn’t like cherries.

The first thing Magneto did when he jumped in the backseat of Chase’s car was drool all over the far window. Jaden stared at the smears in dismay. “I’m sorry,” he said, trying to head off any unpleasant attitude. “I’ll pay for you to get your car cleaned.” Drew had refused to allow Magneto in his car, and he’d always thrown hissy fits when Magneto smudged all the house windows trying to watch the squirrels outside play.

Jaden was a master window cleaner now. Maybe if he couldn’t get another accounting job, he’d switch to that. He could run his own company and do the the books for it.

But Chase laughed, not looking at all disgusted by the mess it had taken Magneto all of two seconds to create. “It’s fine,” he said. “I’ll roll them down for him.”

His car smelled like apples, and a discreet glance around found the culprit to be a smoothie sitting in the middle cup holder. It was a not so appetizing oatmeal color. He expected country music to come over the speakers, so he was pleasantly surprised to hear something else. Indie rock maybe? He’d never heard this song before, but the beat was good and the singer had a clear voice.

Should he make small talk and ask who this was?

“What brings you to Serenity?”

*****

Review:

Finding Home is not a fast paced book, and that’s OK. It’s a slow build between Chase and Jaden as they have a chance to get to know one another and, from that, take a look at themselves as well.

Jaden is definitely a fish out of water – not just in Florida but with his brothers. His city up-bringing with an overly-analytical scientist for a mom definitely didn’t prepare him for the laid back lifestyle he finds in Serenity. I loved the quirkiness of Jaden trying to fit in and his awkwardness, especially with his feelings towards Chase. He quickly touched me and I was rooting for him to figure his stuff out.

Chase has things a little more in hand. Everything but his personal life. It’s not that he’s afraid of commitment or his sexuality, but living in a small community definitely has its disadvantages 🙂 A life that he loves doesn’t necessarily mean that there isn’t something missing and meeting Jaden brings that point home. I love how Chase is supportive and understanding. He can see past Jaden’s neuroses and find him just as charming as I did, which made me love him even more.

I only had a couple of issues with the book. The main one was with the story because I really wish we’d spent some more time on Jaden getting to know his brothers. It’s there but that was a big part of why he went to Serenity and I felt it got glossed over for the romance with Chase. Not that the romance isn’t a big deal because it really helped Jaden come into himself and was very important for him. I just wish that we’d gotten just a bit more with the brothers too.

The other was a few word choices (and probably just a personal problem). Giggle is just one of those words that doesn’t work for me – don’t care if you are a man or a woman, it makes the person seem vapid or silly. I know it is a valid word choice but it ranks up there with simpering for me. Dainty was also used somewhere and just struck me as a strange. But it’s all minor and may not even be a thing for someone else – like I said, personal problem.

A discovery piece for Jaden as he works to figure out who he wants to be and what kind of life he wants for himself, Finding Home is a lovely read with characters you want to know and a small-town you want to visit. It’s sweet, and a little bit sexy too ;), but with almost no drama. (Those three brothers definitely need a HEA of their own so I’m hoping to see more from Ms. Harding!)

*****

Author Info:

Meg Harding is a graduate of UCF, and recently completed a masters program for Publishing in the UK. For as long as she can remember, writing has always been her passion, but she had an inability to ever actually finish anything. She’s immensely happy that her inability has fled and looks forward to where her mind will take her next. She’s a sucker for happy endings, the beach, and superheroes. In her dream life she owns a wildlife conservation and is surrounded by puppies. She’s a film buff, voracious reader, and a massive geek.

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I have received ARCs of books free from BookTrib.com to review but the majority of the stories are either bought by me or provided for free from the publisher. The opinions I share are my own and in no way are influenced by an author or publisher. There is no promise of a positive review by any party and there is no additional compensation. Unless otherwise noted, I am not affliated with any contest or other event mentioned on this blog and I do not receive a paid endorsement for any posts.